Swallow Your Pride

~~~ Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 ~~~ Psalm 103 ~~~ Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 ~~~

The Lord is kind and merciful.

If we but take the first step back to God

 we will experience his mercy and kindness.

This message of God's mercy is delivered over and over again 

to us yet we continue to find it hard to believe

 especially when it pertains to us.

Who is there like you, the God who removes guilt

and pardons sin for the remnant of his inheritance;

Who does not persist in anger forever,

but delights rather in clemency...

God searches out the least of us

 inviting us to come experience 

what his mercy can do for our soul.

This magnificent mercy should 

make us love God all the more deeply,

but I fear it is too often overlooked.

Our thinking is that is makes for a good story,

but what does that have to do with me.

We have one such story in the gospel 

today of the Prodigal Son.

This story is probably one of the most 

well-known quoted from the Bible. 

We love this story it is filled with such idyllic scenes.

Do you believe that such a setting is possible?

Can you place yourself either in the place of the child or the father?

Sometimes we are the child...sometimes we must be the parent.

He ran to his son, embraced him and kissed him.

Notice here it is the father who rushes out

 to meet his son in the distance.

Before the father can see the son though

the son had to swallow his pride.

The son had to make the difficult decision 

to return to his father's home.

Lent is the acceptable time for us to do the same...

Swallow our pride and come back to our Father.

The father in today's gospel held a great celebration.

There was much rejoicing because the son admitted 

his selfishness which led to his poor decision.

This exactly what we are invited to do during this Lenten season,

The father does not ridicule the son.

The father does not belittle the son.

The father does not even try to make the son feel guilty.

The Lord is kind and merciful.

Pray for God to soften your heart 

so that you can overcome whatever is keeping 

you from returning back to the Lord.

There is no better time than NOW.

Coming home is filled with so many Blessings.

You will experience his overwhelming 

Peace.

More Than Clemency

~~~ Micah 7:14-15, 18-20 ~~~ Psalm 103 ~~~ Luke 15:1-3, 11-32 ~~~

The Lord is kind and merciful.

Nothing is too horrible for God to forgive.
No matter what we have done he remains true to his word.
He does not condemn, but rather we condemn ourselves
in the light of our offenses.

Now is the time of repentance.
Now is the time to return your heart to God.
Now is the time to put aside all feelings of guilt and shame.

The Lord is kind and merciful.

Truly there is no God like our God.
He leads us to clear waters...he shepherds us
 beyond our wants and needs.

He removes guilt, pardons sins...he continues to love us.

...does not persist in anger forever,
but delights rather in clemency...

How long have you held on to anger?
Who in your life do you need to forgive?

Clemency...

 a policy made famous by Julius Caesar,
 means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation
(in whole or in part) of the penalty associated with it.
It is a general concept that encompasses several related
procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves.

(As published by Wikipedia.)

God removes the penalty we might deserve for our sins.
The clemency extended to us by God is so much greater
than that which the President extends to the turkey
every November or one given to a prisoner.

Many of our authority figures today have clemency powers
used at their discretion.
God does not carefully weigh the circumstances
 by which he shows clemency.

His clemency is always available to us...
because he is a kind and merciful God...
slow to anger...rich in kindness and compassion.

We can only begin to extend the same
 to others and only on certain occasions.

Sinners flocked to Jesus because they were able
to be accepted for who they were;
they were healed and forgiven.
They were not judged and tossed
 aside like the daily trash.

The gospel of the Prodigal Son is used time after time
 to remind you just how much God loves you.

Even if you squander all that he has given to you...
if you return to him there will be rejoicing and celebration.

The Lord is kind and merciful.

We are Blessed and comforted through these words today.
Test him, come back into his loving arms.
~~~Peace~~~

Let Him Help You

~~~ Isaiah 40:25-31 ~~~ Psalm 103 ~~~ Matthew 11:28-30 ~~~

O bless the Lord, my soul!

This is the time of year when we have so many reasons
 to remember all the ways God has blessed our soul.

Jesus said to the crowds:
“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened,
and I will give you rest. 
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me,
for I am meek and humble of heart;
and you will find rest for yourselves. 
For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.”

Mary went into labor and God the father was present
 to help give her courage and strength.
Jesus is calling to us to come to him when we are burdened
with the trials and tribulations of life.

Jesus is not too proud to take on our burdens.
We need to trust that when we release our burdens to him
he will indeed take care of them for us.

If you find it challenging to give your worries to God
make the intention to give ten or fifteen minutes.
Enjoy a few minutes each day when you
do not carry your burdens.
This time of freedom and trust will bring renewal to your soul.

If we let God take our burdens for a little while
we will be better able to pick them up again.
If we let God take our burdens when we pick them up
he will have resolved some of our fears.

We are Blessed to have a God that never leaves
 us to fend for ourselves.

Peace
your burdens are lighter.

Faith Smothered by Barriers

~~~ Hebrews 12:4-7, 11-15 ~~~ Psalm 103~~~ Mark 6:1-6 ~~~

 

As so typical of we humans, we try to fit God, in this case Jesus,

 into our own trite understanding.

Jesus has returned home after being on the road.

It is always good to be at home with family and friends.

 

When the sabbath came he began to teach in the synagogue,
and many who heard him were astonished.
They said, “Where did this man get all this?
What kind of wisdom has been given him?
What mighty deeds are wrought by his hands!

 

Jesus was home they knew his humble background and

could not justify this knowledge with his actions.

 

They actually took offense at him....

Were they jealous of who he had become?

Why were they not proud to have such a person

from their local community?

Instead they wanted him to stay small minded just as they were.

 

Jesus addresses their skepticism.

He understands their doubts and only minimally

uses his gifts while at home.

He was amazed at their lack of faith.

 

It is difficult if not impossible to build upon a faith

that is non existent.

It is impossible for a person's faith to increase

when they keep throwing up barriers.

While Jesus must have been disappointed,

he accepted them where they were...

Just as he accepts us where we are,

I might add.

 

 

Strive for peace with everyone,
and for that holiness without which no one will see the Lord.
See to it that no one be deprived of the grace of God,
that no bitter root spring up and cause trouble,
through which many may become defiled.

 

Everyone who has gone before us for some two thousand years

stands before us witnesses of the magnificence of God.

Whatever trials and hardships we encounter along the way

someone before us has gracefully endured.

We must be strengthened and encouraged by this knowledge.

 

Remembering God is always with us

no matter what kind of storm rages around us.

He will create from the storm a rainbow of love and compassion.

Never doubt what God is capable to do for you

or even through you.

Allow God to be at home in your life,

this is where he wants to be...

you and him together.

It does not get any better, my friends.

 

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

 

Remove the barriers; so your faith can flourish.